We are still far from the alert threshold of 50 new cases of coronavirus per 100,000 inhabitants detected by nasopharyngeal tests. But the figure has been growing inexorably every day in the North for several days. He had just exceeded the vigilance threshold on Thursday (10.7 cases per 100,000 July 14 to 20), it takes off even more this Friday at 14.3 from July 15 to 21. In Pas de Calais, this rate increases slightly from 4.4 to 4.7 in 24 hours.
For the ARS, this increase in the incidence rate is above all ” to compare with the increase in the screening rate in the department, which itself went from 650 tests per 100,000 inhabitants over the period from July 14 to July 20 to 785 tests per 100,000 inhabitants over the period from July 15 to July 21, an increase of 17%. The increase in the screening rate is notably linked to the organization of large-scale screening campaigns in the Flanders-Vallée de la Lys territory and to the investigation of clusters in the department. ».
Hospitalizations are also increasing
The positivity rate of the tests, also slightly increasing, however remains low and stood from July 15 to 21 at 1.8%, close to the vigilance threshold of 2%, specifies the ARS. ” The number of hospitalizations, if it also remains moderate, is however increasing in the department with 45 hospitalizations in week 29 against 22 the previous week ».
These are all signals which, without being alarming, have led Public Health France to classify the Nord department at a so-called “moderate vulnerability” level, like other metropolitan departments such as the Gironde, the Vosges or Finistère and the authorities in be more solemn to call on the population to respect barrier gestures. As a reminder, the incidence rate in Mayenne, the only department on the alert threshold for this criterion, is 83.2 cases detected per 100,000 inhabitants.
The mask highly recommended in the markets
New measures are also being taken in an attempt to break the continued rise. The prefect of the North and the director general of the ARS had already asked the inhabitants of the department to anticipate the obligation to wear a mask in closed public places, in force since July 20. ” They
now strongly recommend wearing a mask outside in any high-traffic area: markets, shopping streets, fairgrounds, flea markets, flea markets, etc. »And controls will be stepped up in places where masks are compulsory.
The screening campaign operated using Social Security “vouchers” to get tested free of charge and without prescription will be extended, after having concerned 300,000 people. Finally, screening operations in several communes of the department will be amplified from next week. ” An operation is already scheduled for July 28 in Valenciennes ».
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